TAFE SA News

TAFE SA to set the foundation for education across the state

May 12, 2017

TAFE SA has reinforced its reputation as one of the nation’s leading vocational education and training providers after securing an exclusive contract to deliver English language, literacy and numeracy programs to newly arrived migrants and job seekers.

TAFE SA has been selected by the Australian Government’s Department of Education and Training as the sole Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) service provider in South Australia and the sole provider of the Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) Distance Learning delivery component nationwide. TAFE SA is one of two providers for the SEE program in metropolitan Adelaide and the single provider for regional delivery.

The AMEP is the Australian Government’s largest English Language program, providing English language tuition to eligible new migrants and humanitarian entrants, while SEE is the primary program for helping eligible job seekers to improve their language, literacy and numeracy skills.

TAFE SA has a proven track record in delivering both programs, which provide participants with underpinning foundation skills and enable participants to become valued members of the South Australian workforce and wider community. The first three year period commences from July 2017.

TAFE SA Chief Executive, Robin Murt, said that this new contract consolidates TAFE SA’s national reputation as a leading vocational education and training provider.

“TAFE SA has significant experience in delivering these two foundation level programs and we understand the impact this training has in transforming lives and the wider community,” Mr Murt said.

“Both programs open doors of opportunity for people who want to settle in Australia, becoming part of the community and have a new direction in life, and we are proud that the Australian Government has the confidence in us to be delivering these important foundation skills across the country.

“Our teaching staff who deliver this training are passionate, they deliver high quality education and they are engaged with local communities, meeting their needs with a flexible approach to training.”

Recognising a growing Chinese community in Murray Bridge, TAFE SA now delivers AMEP training to participants locally on a Sunday to enable them to continue their work commitments without inhibiting their language development.

“TAFE SA’s adaptability to local needs has created positive engagement and assisted the Chinese community’s integration into the local area,” Mr Murt said.

TAFE SA has delivered the AMEP for over 30 years and has been involved in the SEE program for six years, and the former program, Language, Literacy and Numeracy Program (LLNP) for 11 years prior to the SEE program.

In the past financial year, TAFE SA delivered over a million hours of training to over 8,400 students across the two programs.